Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Sales Managers
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Northcentral University, Rio Salado College, Arizona State, and Pima Community College.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Arizona State, Northern Arizona University, and University of Arizona.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Dine College, Tohono O'Odham Community College, South Mountain Community College, and Arizona Western.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Mohave Community College, Prescott College, Phoenix College, and Cochise.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Northcentral University, Prescott College, University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Northern Arizona University, Dine College, University of Arizona, and Arizona State.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Prescott College.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Tohono O'Odham Community College, Dine College, Prescott College, and University of Arizona.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Business Administration/Accounting (completion in 2014)
• 5/8/2011
"I'm satisfied with the education, but I'm not happy with the cost."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If you're looking for flexibility, this could be great for you. If you manage your time well, you can succeed at this school. If not, they do offer a time management course. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | I've seen reports on the internet from angry people who say the school is terrible, but that's a matter of opinion. The school is actually rated as the best online school. |
| Program Quality | 6 | The staff is not as involved as I would want them to be. The team assignments are pointless; it's an individual education. |
| Instruction | 7 | The class material is up to date and the study material is very informative. The math labs are very helpful in the learning process. |
| How Difficult | 5 | |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | They have text books that can be downloaded. You may also listen to the books or read them online. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I attend school online I work full time. Time management is the most difficult part for me. I generally do school work before and after work and at nights and on weekends. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | They have labs available online. There are tutors available and there is an online library. |
| Social Life | 6 | I only associate with my instructors and my teammates. On team assignments, we work closely together and the instructors are available by e-mail or by phone. |
| Placement Services | 7 | They have job recommendations. Employers are open degrees from the University of Phoenix. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I'm not familiar with the alumni. |
University Of Arizona • Tucson, AZ
Studying BA In Media Arts & BA In Communications (completion in 1997)
• 7/10/2011
"Great time in my life. My friends and I are still active with our alumni group."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Since I work in an industry that has very little to do with what I got my degrees in, I don't know if I would recommend my program. However, I would recommend other programs at my college for people to take and pursue what I do with those degrees. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The U of A recently merged the media program and journalism program into the other program I was a part of - the school of communication. Now it is much easier to obtain a single degree in the program instead of the two I obtained. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The emphasis on my BA in Media Arts was based on aesthetics rather than production. I also felt like they did not provide enough course work in Ad Sales or PR. |
| Instruction | 8 | I excelled in many of my classes. I was also able to apply what I learned from my internships. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I believe that since the my media program was based on aesthetics rather than production, it did not properly prepare you for the working world. I am grateful that my internships showed me what to expect when I graduated. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was based on the classes you took. I did most of my hands on learning at the places I interned at. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Classes were always flexible when I was there. I believe they still are now especially since they offer classes online. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | They were always readily available. We had a great media lab. |
| Social Life | 10 | U of A is a great school for all that is mentioned above. I still attend the homecoming rallies and games since I've graduated. |
| Placement Services | 1 | Recruiters who visited the U of A were only seeking certain degree types when I was there. It may have changed now, but I went at it alone to get my first job out of college with no assistance from them. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | I only get a couple of emails from our alumni group every 3 to 4 months. Most of the updates regarding alumni events I get through my LinkedIn account. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Human Services Management (completion in 2011)
• 7/12/2011
"I would say that I got exactly what I expected. I had to work hard for my degree and I had to be more self disciplined. Because I have a child, it worked best for me."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | The job market is very bad right now. It really depends on the person and what they are looking for. It is a wide area of learning, but going to a school online can be less credible for some. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | I believe that you can make online schooling work if you're willing to put in the time and effort. The human services management program is not one of their highest rated programs; I believe business administration is. |
| Program Quality | 4 | Most people believe that online degrees are easier or not as credible. But I have found them to be more difficult. The material was good and the teachers were helpful, but I had to be very disciplined. |
| Instruction | 6 | As far as career preparation, there was really none at all. It provided me with information and a learning environment, but overall it could have been better. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I would say that my material was a little bit harder because of the program I chose. Human services is a wide field and there are a lot of rules and regulations to follow, on top of the psychology and management aspect of the field. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I mostly used reading material that was provided by the school and was given to me online. I didn't have to go out and buy any books, which was nice. There really wasn't any hands on learning, unless you consider the few video tutorials we had more hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | Because it was an online degree, it was open to your schedule. You could do schoolwork at your convenience. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | We had use of the online university library and I could pretty much find any information I needed there. The materials where online and there were many tutors and support programs available. |
| Social Life | 5 | I would say my overall experience was good. I can't really base it on school spirit or social events, however I made some good relationships with my fellow classmates. |
| Placement Services | 2 | I literally had no job placement help after graduating. This was also told to me up front when I signed up two years ago, so I knew what I was getting into. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | It's just common knowledge that the University of Phoenix has a low graduation rate. My academic advisors were great, but everything seemed to be more geared toward making money than to helping someone pursue their degree. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Business Management (completion in 2010)
• 7/14/2011
"While I did learn some new things, a lot of the classes were pointless. The teachers knew only what was in our textbooks. The assignments were extremely easy although time consuming."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | The University of Phoenix just does not have a good reputation. I also required extensive training for my job. It will be hard to find a job with a degree from University of Phoenix. |
| Program Reputation | 1 | The University of Phoenix has a horrible reputation. You might as well not even have a degree, as a degree from there makes no difference to any employer I have interviewed with. |
| Program Quality | 3 | Virtually anyone could pass these classes; the workload was easy yet there was a large amount of it. None of the classes seemed to go very in-depth. |
| Instruction | 4 | The instructors provide minimal feedback. They also are not able to answer all of your questions. |
| How Difficult | 2 | While the workload was considerate, it was incredibly easy. It was made even easier by the fact that as long as assignments were in on time, you were almost guaranteed an A. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | On occasion you will have the opportunity to write a paper which requires thought and creativity and makes you use all the concepts you have been learning in new and challenging ways. This will happen about 2 times. The rest of the assignments are very textbook oriented, and in many cases you can simply copy and paste answers directly out of your textbook. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | It is 100% online. The flexibility is amazing because of this, but unfortunately your degree will not be worth the paper it is printed on. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | UoP does have an online library and tutor program. I have no experience with the tutor program, but a lot of the library links to articles and books which are hosted on paid websites. Getting in touch with professors can be challenging, and it may take a few days before you get an answer from them. |
| Social Life | 2 | With classes being 100% online, you do not get the typical college experience. While you do have some communication with classmates online, it is not enough to form any real bonds or do any networking. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I received absolutely no help finding a job after I graduated. There was no one to help with this, either. Job placement help is not something UofP does. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | The University of Phoenix has an alumni network. However, it seems to serve no purpose whatsoever. I get an occasional alumni email from the university asking for money. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying MBA (completion in 2009)
• 8/7/2011
"I enjoyed the flexibility of the program and I did get support from the staff whenever needed. I did like the fact that I was able to complete my degree in under 2 years."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes, I would recommend the program to others, especially those who are juggling a full time job and school. I would not recommend it to those who need to be in a traditional classroom to learn. It is a program for those who are able to learn independently. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | There are so many opinions of the University of Phoenix, some positive and others negative. Many complain that the school does not care about the quality of education since it is a for profit school. Others have positive feedback because the program is designed for the working person already working in the field that they are getting a degree in. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I think that there are programs at other universities that are more distinguished and have better instructors. I think that one downfall of the program is that a majority of grading is based on team papers. If one person does not pull their weight, it effects your individual grade. |
| Instruction | 7 | The instruction is good since the instructors responded in a timely matter. The material that was taught related to real life work situations. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The most difficult part of the program was the short term classes, only 6 weeks long. During the 6 weeks there was a paper due each week, two team and 3 individual. At times it was difficult to keep up with the fast pace of the courses. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Many of the term papers were based on work experiences. The weekly questions were also based on work experiences and opinions. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The MBA program was so flexible since I was able to do all my work online at any time of the day. I was on vacation in other countries several times and I was able to log into my classes and complete my coursework. Once enrolled you do not have to worry about your class schedule; you are given your classes for the whole program. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Since I completed my MBA online, I cannot rate brick and mortar facilities. The resources that were offered online were great, especially the library. The library offered an endless resource of material that was available online. Another feature that was great was the term paper reviewer. I would use this before I turned in each paper. |
| Social Life | 2 | Since there are over 200 campuses worldwide it is impossible to have any type of organized sports. Since I completed my degree totally online, I never met anyone in person and spoke over the phone to only a handful of fellow students. There are some annual events that are sponsored for alumni. |
| Placement Services | 6 | To be honest I do not have much of an opinion on this since I have never used any of these services. I have read on the alumni website that there are resources and tips on career planning. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The University of Phoenix is always sending out emails regarding alumni networking and gatherings. There is a website devoted to alumni information, such as career planning and discounts. |
Arizona State University • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2006)
• 9/23/2011
"I have been very satisfied with ASU. I learned absolutely essential information that I have used throughout my career."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | You cannot go wrong at ASU. Just make sure you study and get your work done and in on time. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | ASU has always had a great business school reputation. They are ranked nationally. |
| Program Quality | 9 | It was a very solid education that I received. It really has led to the promotions I have received from my employer. |
| Instruction | 8 | I believe ASU has great instruction. The only thing that holds it back is the large classroom sizes. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Large amounts of studying were absolutely necessary. There was relative difficulty even with massive amounts of studying. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Because of the size of ASU, the amount of book learning is substantial.. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Class flexibility has sometimes been difficult. Classes fill up relatively quickly. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The facilities at ASU are absolutely excellent. You can always find the resources that you need. |
| Social Life | 9 | I thoroughly enjoyed my time at ASU. There is always entertainment, sporting events, or social events to attend. |
| Placement Services | 8 | I had a relatively easy job finding a career out of school. The quality of jobs could be questioned, though. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | ASU has an extended reach alumni network. I get monthly updates by mail that are very informative. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying MBA With A Concentration In Marketing (completion in 2011)
• 10/12/2011
"I was somewhat satisfied. Classes could have been a little less expensive."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The courses were very focused toward the business field. Classes had flexible schedules. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Some people do not give UoP proper credit because they are not familiar with the course or studies requirements. I think this are unjustified. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The University of Phoenix is a very well organized school for a business degree. The only way to make it better would have been to attend classes in person instead of online. |
| Instruction | 7 | Most instructors were good, but a few were not so good. The instructors that were not good did not adhere to school requirements. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The courses required a lot of writing and research, but it was not overwhelming. Projects were detailed and related to real life. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Classes had a lot of project work. Reading was a necessity. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Being an online program, the schedule was very flexible. I could do assignments at my own pace. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | UoP has a vast amount of resources to conduct research from. |
| Social Life | 8 | The students and faculty were very sociable. Classes were online. |
| Placement Services | I have not used the job placement services. I cannot make a comment. | |
| Alumni Network | I am not using the alumni network so I cannot make a claim one way or the other. I do plan on using the alumni network in the future. |
University Of Arizona • Tucson, AZ
Studying Business Management (completion in 2010)
• 11/4/2011
"I truly enjoyed my time at the University of Arizona. The peer group was mature and intellectual. Competition was fierce and professors were knowledgeable regarding real world applications. The bureaucracy was somewhat displeasing, but I tend to be a planner so it did not bother me."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Not many Universities offer teachers who actually have real world experience. Some professors literally wrote the book on the topics we were studying. That type of knowledge and experience is invaluable. I was at another University prior to the University of Arizona and none of the topics covered were real world applicable. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | The Eller School of Business in Arizona is one of the toughest degree programs to get into. Not as difficult as an ivy league school, but very close. |
| Program Quality | 8 | All of the teachers at the University of Arizona I interacted with were either published authors or had real world experience on the topics they taught. The down side is it is very bureaucratic. |
| Instruction | 8 | All topics in class pertained to the curriculum to be found on test topics. Professors very rarely went on tangents not applicable to the topic at hand. |
| How Difficult | 7 | There was a lot of work assigned each semester. The professors were always good about answering questions and gave you the tools to get ahead of the workload. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a lot of book studying and memorization required. Professors always tried to make classes more interactive and less lecture style. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The University offered classes every day of the week, some classes as late as 9:00pm. It offered 2 summer and 1 winter session, but I am unsure of their online offerings. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The school was very well equipped. The downside was that it was very bureaucratic. You had to schedule and sign up to use anything. Very few walk in options were available. |
| Social Life | 7 | I was a Teacher's Assistant at the University during my studies. There were not many faculty gatherings I can recall and due to my position I avoided student gatherings. There was a lot of school spirit and athletic events were almost always sold out. |
| Placement Services | 6 | The school had many job placement opportunities. The problem is most of them were entry level and did not pertain to me, due to my work experience. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | Many alumni came back to the school to give guest lectures on their real world experiences. We did not see major heads of industry, but we saw some executives of fortune 500 companies. |
DeVry University • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2001)
• 10/29/2011
"While the school didn't teach me much, except for mainly program knowledge and formulas, holding the Degree alone has opened many job doors that otherwise would be closed to me."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | Because the school is private and you pay more money, I would recommend someone go to a local college instead and pay less if this is the career choice for them. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | The name is looked down upon at first. But as the years go on, it is more accepted due to the rise of online degrees. |
| Program Quality | 5 | They provided basic knowledge, but that was pretty much it. The plus side was having the degree as a BSBA to open up doors for interviews. My interviewing skills are what really got me my job. |
| Instruction | 5 | As far as preparation is concerned, they did tell us what to expect out in the real world. The basic skills did help in the long run because I would find that not many people even have those skills, as common sense as they are. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The load was not overpowering. I would be able to wait last minute and still retain enough info to pass tests, or do all nighters to complete projects. The only struggle would be the time off between classes to still hold a P/T job. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Mostly book learning, and professors talking and students taking notes. The hands on aspect came from the presentations and research involved with them. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | They had weekend, day, or night classes to choose from. However, they would all be within a 10 hour span, and some days only 2 classes were offered. So there would be at times a 4 hour block between classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Great computer room and great access to it. Teachers were, in fact, widely available to us. The library had much to be desired, though. |
| Social Life | 8 | I still keep in touch with much of my graduating class. The school would hold quarterly events - mostly class project events. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There was no help, and the job placement board often led to dead ends. Active job searching on your own was the best option. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Never once heard from alumni. No networking resources were ever given or explained. Any info would have to be attained on your own. |
Scottsdale Community College • Scottsdale, AZ
Studying Business And Marketing (completion in 2005)
• 11/27/2011
"I loved the teachers, staff and facilities. I wish I would have had a bit more help in finding financial assistance."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | A great place to learn with hands-on, knowledgeable staff. A great campus with many classes to offer. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | As it is a community college the program is not well known. However once employers have learned the depth of my experience at the school they are always impressed. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The staff was very helpful and knowledgeable. And I loved the availability of classes. |
| Instruction | 9 | I started in the job market while still in school and felt prepared even then. When I received my degree I felt like I was totally prepared. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I found the program to be something that I was interested in. This made it very easy to work through assignments, especially working on business plans and models. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I learn best when I can dive right in and learn as I go. This school environment worked very well for me as I was able to work at my own speed. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I found that in my program classes were offered very regularly. I was able to get all my requested and needed classes when I needed them. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | I found that I had wonderful professors who were happy to help and share knowledge. In addition I had no problem finding the tools I needed to complete my work. |
| Social Life | 10 | When you go to a school with an artichoke as the mascot you know it's got to be good! |
| Placement Services | 9 | I was helped by the school to find a job while in the program. And was helped to get the job I got after getting my degree. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | In my program we were always holding study groups, mixers, and school-organized events. Even now I am contacted regarding up coming events. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2011)
• 1/10/2012
"I would say that I am satisfied by my school. It is exactly what I expected and I have no complaints."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | This school provides much flexibility to students and teaches discipline and responsibility. When taking online courses, students must manage their time and put in the effort through their own will. It isn't some "go to class and go home" type of school. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The school that I attended has a good reputation. It is a university that has a market value in the billions of dollars range. |
| Program Quality | 7 | In the business school that I had attended, a lot of information was learned. The courses offer much education to the students. Also, with the availability of online classes, I was able to attend class on my own time, which freed up time for other things. |
| Instruction | 7 | Most of the instructors that I had were great. They were always helpful and encouraging. Whenever I had any questions or trouble, I would ask the instructor and quickly receive a response and obtain guidance on how to succeed. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I would say that the difficulty of the courses I took was not too high. At some points, I did have trouble understanding the material, such as statistics; however, with the help of classmates and instructors, I got through it just fine. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We have daily discussions on class forums, which help students gain a better understanding of the material that is being learned. On the forums, students share ideas as well as different methodologies on how to accomplish different tasks. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | They provide online courses. With this being the case, students can take courses on their own time. There is much flexibility and the responsibility is on the student. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The school offers a huge variety of resources, from financial aid services to library availability to counseling services. Aside from their campus resources, everything is also available online to students. |
| Social Life | 5 | The social experience is average. Occasionally, there are seminars and conferences for students to attend; however, this school caters to professionals who are trying to finish school. |
| Placement Services | 8 | The university's services are very helpful. They are always ready and available to help students, as well as alumni. There is always an academic counselor or representative available. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The school's alumni are very helpful; there is a strong network that I can fall back on. If I need any help on information or employment, I can easily get help from the alumni network. |
Arizona State University • Tempe, AZ
Studying Philosophy (completion in 1985)
• 2/14/2012
"I liked it, for the most part. It was interesting and fun."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I became a salesman and then was promoted to sales manager at my company, so I have done pretty well. I am not sure if my college had much to do with it. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | ASU is known more for its engineering department than its philosophy department. It's a very small department. |
| Program Quality | 2 | Department was focused more on historical figures than on contemporary philosophers. The instructors relied upon graduate assistants too much. |
| Instruction | 4 | Found only one or two really great teachers. Some professors were only interested in writing their own books and were not interested in teaching students. |
| How Difficult | 5 | It was not too bad. I kind of wish it had been harder. I kind of breezed through. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Almost everything was from a book. We sometimes discussed something that we saw on TV or in the paper. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Most classes were held on campus. There was no internet then. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | They were just average classrooms. |
| Social Life | 7 | I was a loner, but there were lots of nice women around. I had a good time and was happy, for the most part. |
| Placement Services | I never used the career services. I do not know anything about them. | |
| Alumni Network | I don't belong to any alumni groups. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying MBA (completion in 2011)
• 2/17/2012
"I liked the flexibility of the schedules and the courses provided. The overall cost was a little expensive, though."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend it, due to the flexibility of the classes and the variety of courses. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | From online reviews, UoP seems to get a bad rap. Not many people think UoP is challenging. |
| Program Quality | 7 | UoP was very good about providing real-life situations for the job that I am currently doing. The instructors were very helpful. |
| Instruction | 7 | The instructors cared about the students. Most instructors had "real life" jobs related to the field that they were teaching. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The courses in statistics were very challenging. The problems presented were "real life" problems that would result in loss if the incorrect choices were made. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a good mix of book learning and real-life examples. The real-life problem solving was very intensive. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | The school's classes were online. Being online made the schedule very flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The facilities were topnotch. Everything that was needed was provided online. This included labs, learning centers, and an extensive library. |
| Social Life | 5 | Being an online program, there were not many social events. I did frequently converse online with fellow students. |
| Placement Services | I have not used the job placement programs. | |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I have not used the alumni services for UoP, but they do send me frequent emails on news and happenings. |
Rio Salado Community College • Tempe, AZ
Studying Business Communications (completion in 2011)
• 1/31/2012
"I am very satisfied with my choice to attend ASU. For such a large demographic I believe they do a pretty good job of offering resources and services necessary for students to achieve."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The W.P. Carey school is very challenging. It offers a good foundation for students looking to further their career in the business field. They provide the proper training and education to help you succeed in today's society. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The W.P. Carey School of Business is consistently ranked as one of the top 25 MBA programs in the nation. This was the primary reason for me deciding to attend this university. |
| Program Quality | 1 | The degree I am seeking is not available at the same school. I will have to return to ASU to complete my education. |
| Instruction | 7 | I believe I was well prepared to work in the position I currently hold. The school provided many resources to ensure quality instruction. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The work load is not very challenging to complete my program. I found that college requires discipline and time management more than anything else. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Since the class sizes are often very large, most of the learning is very book oriented. Large lecture halls usually prohibit the ability to interact in a hands on fashion. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | They offer online degree programs that allow you to complete your education. Programs such as these are beneficial because I need to have a free schedule in order to work during the week. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | There are many facilities and tutoring centers pertaining to my program. There are also numerous libraries on the campus, some of which focus on particular subjects such as Business. |
| Social Life | 8 | ASU is the biggest school in the nation so there are many social programs available to suit almost all interests. There are numerous clubs and Greek organizations that are both academic and social related. |
| Placement Services | 7 | Receiving an MBA from ASU is a great accomplishment to put on a resume. Despite the economy, graduates have done a pretty good job receiving job placement after graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | They offer many resources through the alumni services on campus. They also offer some support services in the Business advisement office where alumni are available to answer general questions. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2006)
• 1/30/2012
"The current degree is my third of four to obtain my Doctorate. The school has allowed me to follow a very organized structure designed around my own schedule to ensure success."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | By far the #1 objection for working adults to re-enter a learning institution is lack of time. Although this is not a walk in the park, if you have an ability to set aside time throughout the day to attend to school this can be successful for the individual looking for an advance degree. The #1 prerequisite would be to have a knack for time-management. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The university is accredited and has a long standing reputation as a respectable and viable source of education. The online structure is not an easy way out by any means. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Having the ability to obtain my degree online while maintaining my current career was the only option I had to pursue my Doctorate. |
| Instruction | 10 | I was skeptical about online learning, but found that this method suited me best and I have been able to retain more information than a traditional brick-and-mortar style of learning. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Typical four to six month courses are condensed into six week segments. Granted, it is one class at a time versus taking up to four classes at once, but it moves rather rapidly with little to no room for error. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Online, all must be learned by the student with little assistance from the instructor or peers. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The online platform is the only method where you can work for 20 minutes on school during downtime at work, in between work and home or designate flexible time allotments during the day/week. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Information for school assignments and research is available 24/7 in a variety of locations and reference guides. The only reason one could be unsuccessful with this method is through lack of effort. |
| Social Life | 1 | Unlike a traditional school, there are virtually no social events, thus less distractions. |
| Placement Services | 2 | The school does not provide any job assistance or relocation, nor does it hold network seminars for alumni. If they do, they do not do a very good job of showcasing this. |
| Alumni Network | My post graduate involvement was virtually zero, I did expect to have a network for employment, but that was non-existent. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2011)
• 2/29/2012
"I'm embarrassed to say where I graduated from; however, in today's job market, you need a degree. If I could do it over again I would have stayed at the University of Texas."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | The cost of the education at UoP is too high. Also, the poor stigma of the school is very real. I would advise against going to the UoP. |
| Program Reputation | 2 | I believe more people see my degree as a joke than a valid degree. When I talk to colleagues and mention I went to University of Texas, they perk up. When I say I graduated from UoP, it's obvious what they think. |
| Program Quality | 5 | After having attended the University of Texas as a music major and dropping out, it was easy to graduate from the UoP. |
| Instruction | 2 | The labs were irrelevant to the real world of business. Business in the USA is based on connections and influence. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The curriculum is time consuming. Additionally, critical thought that was shared on the network threads was often ridiculed. Although they warned students to avoid working in groups, group work was and probably still is alive and well at UoP. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | UoP's education is based on reading and writing about your educational and life experiences. Labs and writing groups are not "hands-on," but are instead theoretical with somewhat predetermined outcomes. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Online school means you can work on class work when you have time. This unfortunately leads to a least-amount-of-effort approach. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | Several times submitting data was not possible due to network issues. Also, points were deducted from students for turning in projects late, even though the school was not able to accept them. |
| Social Life | 1 | I did not make a single friend at UoP. There was neither time nor a venue to get to know anyone. |
| Placement Services | None existent. Simply does not exist. | |
| Alumni Network | I don't use it. So it's difficult to say if it's good or not. I have not yet met another professional in the field that went to UoP. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Business Management (completion in 2011)
• 3/6/2012
"It was too expensive and not personalized enough. It was easier considering I had to work, but I wouldn't do it again."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | Too expensive; no testing. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | This school isn't known for a quality education. Their classes are very expensive, though. |
| Program Quality | 6 | It's an online school, so I'm not sure I retained as much as I would have in a traditional school. |
| Instruction | 8 | Everyone there has got their master's degree, so they know what they are talking about. They are all different with different styles of teaching. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I have to say it was pretty easy. I am a good writer, so that's what got me through it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It's online, so it's only book. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I can go in to class whenever I want. I liked to go in on weekends and on breaks. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | They had a lot of online tutors. I had no school to go to, so it did not have the typical facilities and resources. |
| Social Life | There were no events to speak of. | |
| Placement Services | I never had to use the job placement services. | |
| Alumni Network | I don't have anything to do with the alumni network. I really don't care about it. |
Paradise Valley Community College • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Marketing (completion in 2000)
• 3/30/2012
"Great. Loved PV and I would go back."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Great school. I think they have improved since 2000 based on what I see online. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I don't think they have a reputation for sales degrees. The school does have a good reputation though. |
| Program Quality | 5 | Marketing and sales are great money makers. Commission pay does not always come through - would rather have a steady check. |
| Instruction | 10 | Great instructors - very knowledgeable. I would return to complete a degree. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Easy work load. It's sales - smile and be nice. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My classes allowed for lots of role playing. But the book was also a requirement. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I suppose it was as good as any. I found evening classes that helped me. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | I did receive an email address upon enrollment. The technology center was available for computer use. |
| Social Life | 5 | I met a few very nice people. I also met a great girlfriend. |
| Placement Services | 5 | At the time, very poor. Although I think that has been much improved. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Don't really have any association any longer. At the time I met some good people. |
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